Blinking Red Light On Hot Springs Spa

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I have a 1999 Hot Springs Sovereign. I noticed last night that the red light was blinking and the temperature did not seem as hot as usual. I turned off the breakers to the electrical box, but that did not stop the blinking (when I turned the electricity back on). (I've done this probably 5 times since yesterday.) Nothing happens when I push the temp buttons, the light button or the jets button.

I thought if there was an easy fix, I might be able to do it. Otherwise I'll have to have a service call made. I know nothing about this spa other than how to turn it on, add chlorine and clean the filters. Is this a common problem? Will it cost a lot to have the Hot Springs dealer to come out and fix it (if it's not an easy fix)? I just had all new windows in the house replaced last week, so I'm strapped for cash, but it turned cool here in NE Florida, so it's finally spa weather!

SA

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I have a 1999 Hot Springs Sovereign. I noticed last night that the red light was blinking and the temperature did not seem as hot as usual. I turned off the breakers to the electrical box, but that did not stop the blinking (when I turned the electricity back on). (I've done this probably 5 times since yesterday.) Nothing happens when I push the temp buttons, the light button or the jets button.

I thought if there was an easy fix, I might be able to do it. Otherwise I'll have to have a service call made. I know nothing about this spa other than how to turn it on, add chlorine and clean the filters. Is this a common problem? Will it cost a lot to have the Hot Springs dealer to come out and fix it (if it's not an easy fix)? I just had all new windows in the house replaced last week, so I'm strapped for cash, but it turned cool here in NE Florida, so it's finally spa weather!

SA

So when you reset the power, does the light start flashing right away? If so then you most likely need a new hi-limit thermistor.

Is there good flow coming from the circulation pump up through the bottom drain? Try taking the filters out and reset power.

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So when you reset the power, does the light start flashing right away? If so then you most likely need a new hi-limit thermistor.

Is there good flow coming from the circulation pump up through the bottom drain? Try taking the filters out and reset power.

When I turn the power back on, it takes 5-10 seconds for the light to come on, and it stays red at first. I turned the power off, rotated the filters, and then turned the power back on. The bubbles are coming from the side of the drain (like under the drain cover) and not from the top. I got the jets to come on and ran them for about a minute. The spa light comes on also.

I just checked and the green light is now on. The spa is making a small rumbling noise. Is that a problem?

Thanks for your help. I hope things are OK tomorrow night so I can use it.

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So when you reset the power, does the light start flashing right away? If so then you most likely need a new hi-limit thermistor.

Is there good flow coming from the circulation pump up through the bottom drain? Try taking the filters out and reset power.

When I turn the power back on, it takes 5-10 seconds for the light to come on, and it stays red at first. I turned the power off, rotated the filters, and then turned the power back on. The bubbles are coming from the side of the drain (like under the drain cover) and not from the top. I got the jets to come on and ran them for about a minute. The spa light comes on also.

I just checked and the green light is now on. The spa is making a small rumbling noise. Is that a problem?

Thanks for your help. I hope things are OK tomorrow night so I can use it.

I'm assuming when the green "ready" light comes on, the water is at the set temp? If not, *remove* the filters and try again. Either clogged filters or bad circ pump.

If it's working now, you likely had a clogged filter.

The circ pump gets all it water from *one* of the filters. If it's clogged, the circ pump is unable to draw water from it, the heater subsequently over-heats in a minute or two, and then the red-light will begin to flash.

The filter that's dedicated to the circ pump will clog much faster than the pther two filters, since it's filtering water 24/7, and the others aren't filtering at all unless the large pump is running.

Here's a possible scenario:

When you rotated the filters (instead of removing them) you moved the clogged filter to another spot, and a less dirty filter is now supplying the circ pump with water.

So now it will work until the next filter gets clogged.

The rumbling sound is the circ pump- it may be a little out of balance- could mean nothing, could mean it's near the end of it's life. Flow rate, and how quickly the circ pump starts pushing water when it's energized will tell you if the sound is just a nuisance, or if the circ pump needs replacement.

Another possible scenario: The circ pump is having a difficult time starting, and it was just coincidence that it started working when you rotated the filters.

At any rate, thoroughly clean the filters.

Now, if that green "ready" light is coming on and the spa is NOT close to the set-temp, *remove* (as Dan initially suggested) the filters and try again. He asked to remove them to rule out a clogged filter. Rotating them doesn't rule anything out.

If the filters are removed, and the spa is still not heating, the circ pump likely needs replacement.

Both of the temp sensors are located on the heater, so if you're getting screwy readings from both of them (flashing red light, as well as the ready light coming on when the spa is not up to temp) this is likely the result of poor flow through the heater, and not bad temp sensors.

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Yes, the green light means water temperature is where it is set for, and spa is ready to use. Green light is still on.

I didn't understand that Dan meant remove the filters and keep them out. I took them out, and when I put them back, I just rotated them. I can't imagine the filters are clogged since the spa has only been used 7 times or so since the last time I cleaned them. I don't use the spa a lot while the temperatures are in the 90s here.

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I removed the filters for the past year. The red light was still blinking, the water was not heated to the temperature that I had it set at, and the jets would not come on.

For the past year, I have been shutting off the electricity to the hot tub for a couple of minutes. When I turned the circuit breakers on for the hot tub, if I caught it as just as the electricity hit it, I could press the "Jets" button to get the jets to come on. That way, I could use the jets, but the water was lukewarm.

I am going to swing by the local Hot Springs dealer. Should I mention the circ. pump or the heater?

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When we say, "Take the filters out, and try it again." This is only for testing purposes, not regular use. Put the filters back in once you're finished troubleshooting, which should just be a few minutes, maybe a day, but certainly not a year.

Have you checked circ pump flow?

If this is a 110v Sovereign, as soon as the jet pump is energized, the heater turns off automatically.

If you're able to run the jets with no problems, but as soon as the jets are turned off, within a minute or two the red light flashes- it sounds like a flow problem- the most likely culprit is a bad circ pump. Only you can tell if it's a bad circ pump. I wouldn't buy a new one just because it sounds like that's the problem without confirming- check power to the circ pump, and check for proper operation before just throwing a part at it.

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FWIW, I just hooked up a new Hot Spot Rhythm. It went "dead" on me, and resetting the GFCI on and off did not help. However, manual says for a blinking Ready light to turn off the GFCI for at least 30 seconds. Works now. Good luck!

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Can anyone give me a ball park figure on the what it would cost to replace the circ. pump.? Replace the heater? I'm not sure I should even drive over to the Hot Springs place to talk about getting it fixed as it might be too much.

Can anyone give me a ball park figure on the what it would cost to replace the circ. pump.? Replace the heater? I'm not sure I should even drive over to the Hot Springs place to talk about getting it fixed as it might be too much.

Don't buy anything until you've confirmed what needs replacement- never just throw a part at the problem unless you have confirmed that's the problem. You might guess right- but what a waste to buy an expensive part, only to discover it wasn't broken, and the same problem still exists.

You need to do a little work. Can you confirm the circ pump is not working?

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Can anyone give me a ball park figure on the what it would cost to replace the circ. pump.? Replace the heater? I'm not sure I should even drive over to the Hot Springs place to talk about getting it fixed as it might be too much.

Don't buy anything until you've confirmed what needs replacement- never just throw a part at the problem unless you have confirmed that's the problem. You might guess right- but what a waste to buy an expensive part, only to discover it wasn't broken, and the same problem still exists.

You need to do a little work. Can you confirm the circ pump is not working?

No, I have no idea. I am having a service call on Friday from a Hot Springs repairman.

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OK, I got the hot tub drained, cleaned and filled. The water is hot, but there is also water on the concrete patio. So, there seems to be a leak. It wasn't leaking before they replaced the circ. pump, but now it is. Could the repairman somehow caused a leak when he replaced the circ. pump?

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OK, I got the hot tub drained, cleaned and filled. The water is hot, but there is also water on the concrete patio. So, there seems to be a leak. It wasn't leaking before they replaced the circ. pump, but now it is. Could the repairman somehow caused a leak when he replaced the circ. pump?

Sure, can you take the panel off and look at the circ pump, and see if it's leaking there?

However, since you just drained it, it's more than likely leaking at the drain cap... double check the drain caps, and drain cap gaskets. Many people lose a gasket when draining, and then it leaks. It's just a garden hose gasket-use two gaskets in each drain-cap

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OK, I got the hot tub drained, cleaned and filled. The water is hot, but there is also water on the concrete patio. So, there seems to be a leak. It wasn't leaking before they replaced the circ. pump, but now it is. Could the repairman somehow caused a leak when he replaced the circ. pump?

Sure, can you take the panel off and look at the circ pump, and see if it's leaking there?

However, since you just drained it, it's more than likely leaking at the drain cap... double check the drain caps, and drain cap gaskets. Many people lose a gasket when draining, and then it leaks. It's just a garden hose gasket-use two gaskets in each drain-cap

I tightened the drain caps. I've never seen a gasket.

The leak is coming from under the spa on the right side (when I look at the access panel). it seems to be coming from about a foot from the right edge of the spa.

I'm going to call the local Hot Springs dealer to come back out to check it out. I was hoping it was a simple solution, but I fear it is a leak.

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OK, I got the hot tub drained, cleaned and filled. The water is hot, but there is also water on the concrete patio. So, there seems to be a leak. It wasn't leaking before they replaced the circ. pump, but now it is. Could the repairman somehow caused a leak when he replaced the circ. pump?

Sure, can you take the panel off and look at the circ pump, and see if it's leaking there?

However, since you just drained it, it's more than likely leaking at the drain cap... double check the drain caps, and drain cap gaskets. Many people lose a gasket when draining, and then it leaks. It's just a garden hose gasket-use two gaskets in each drain-cap

I tightened the drain caps. I've never seen a gasket.

The leak is coming from under the spa on the right side (when I look at the access panel). it seems to be coming from about a foot from the right edge of the spa.

I'm going to call the local Hot Springs dealer to come back out to check it out. I was hoping it was a simple solution, but I fear it is a leak.

Remove the drain cap, and look inside the cap for two gaskets. If they aren't there, that's the source of your leak.

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OK, I got the hot tub drained, cleaned and filled. The water is hot, but there is also water on the concrete patio. So, there seems to be a leak. It wasn't leaking before they replaced the circ. pump, but now it is. Could the repairman somehow caused a leak when he replaced the circ. pump?

Sure, can you take the panel off and look at the circ pump, and see if it's leaking there?

However, since you just drained it, it's more than likely leaking at the drain cap... double check the drain caps, and drain cap gaskets. Many people lose a gasket when draining, and then it leaks. It's just a garden hose gasket-use two gaskets in each drain-cap

I tightened the drain caps. I've never seen a gasket.

The leak is coming from under the spa on the right side (when I look at the access panel). it seems to be coming from about a foot from the right edge of the spa.

I'm going to call the local Hot Springs dealer to come back out to check it out. I was hoping it was a simple solution, but I fear it is a leak.

Remove the drain cap, and look inside the cap for two gaskets. If they aren't there, that's the source of your leak.

I have a feeling you may be correct. The water looks like it is leaking right under where the drains are. Because of the slope of the concrete, it comes out from under the hot tub on the right side.

Can I just got to Lowes and get a garden hose gasket or do I need a special gasket from Hot Springs? Right now I have a service call set up for October 30 (which will cost $115), and I would hate to pay that if it is just a gasket that I can replace. The bad thing is this evening is the only time I have to try to fix this before the service call.

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So, there has been no water on the concrete floor of the porch since Thursday.

I wonder if this is because I removed both drain caps to check to see if there was a gasket and then replaced them. Maybe I had screwed them on incorrectly???

Quite possibly. It's fairly common for someone to manage to create a "leak" at the drain-cap, that can be "repaired" by tightening the drain-cap, or just replacing the drain cap gaskets.

I'm dumbfounded and wondering if I should still have the repairman come out on Tuesday just to check things out with the circ. pump? Or is that a waste of his time?

If it's not leaking- the tech won't have anything to do, and it will be a waste of his time and resources. I'm sure the tech would appreciate it if you could take to door off to take a peek, and cancel the call if there's no water in the equip compartment, or on the floor.

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So, there has been no water on the concrete floor of the porch since Thursday.

I wonder if this is because I removed both drain caps to check to see if there was a gasket and then replaced them. Maybe I had screwed them on incorrectly???

Quite possibly. It's fairly common for someone to manage to create a "leak" at the drain-cap, that can be "repaired" by tightening the drain-cap, or just replacing the drain cap gaskets.

I'm dumbfounded and wondering if I should still have the repairman come out on Tuesday just to check things out with the circ. pump? Or is that a waste of his time?

If it's not leaking- the tech won't have anything to do, and it will be a waste of his time and resources. I'm sure the tech would appreciate it if you could take to door off to take a peek, and cancel the call if there's no water in the equip compartment, or on the floor.

I had him come out. I had a jet that had come out, so I left him a note, telling him that the hot tub was not leaking anymore, but could he re-install the jet.

He left me a note back, telling me that the jet (a rotating one) was broken, and he re-placed it @ cost of $20.

I have another rotating jet that I found on the bottom of the hot tub a couple of weeks ago. I put it back, and it has stayed in, but I can pull it out. Is this something I can fix or replace without having the repairman come back out?

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I could just scream...there is standing water around my spa where it was 2 weeks ago. Geeze...is there a leak or not??? I feel embarrassed to call the retail store and tell them, "Oh, it's leaking again."